Method for absorption of vapors and liquids



Sept. 22, 1931. I. N. BEALL 1,324,458

METHOD FOR ABSORPTION OF VAPORS AND LIQUIDS Filed Jan. 13, 1928 ABJMP/WM/Z m I /wwwwwwww 619M650 0/: our

IN V EN TOR.

ATTOR EYS.

Patented Sept. 22, 1931 ISAAC- N. BEALL, OFjIEiAS'ILAND, TEXAS, ASSIGNOB, BY MIEISNE;. LS SIG:1 1 'ME N'IS.v TO

RESEARCH PROCESS COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE nE'rnon r01 AnsoRr'rIon or vAroRs AND mourns Application flied. January 1a, 1928. Serial no. 246,602.

- An object of my invention is to provide a method which is simple and readily operated but highly eflicient. in the absorptlon of vapors and gases and liquids. Other and further objects of my invention will be apparent from the following further description thereof. Many difficulties and important requirements of absorption operations are found in the absorption of desired hydrocarbons from natural gas, and with a view to assistingin the understanding of my invention, but with the understanding that my 1nvention is not limited thereto, I will describe my invention particularly in connection with such an operation; although my invention possesses particular advantages in connect on so -with and is especially applicable to the absorptionof desired hydrocarbons from natui T e vapors and gases thatare to be absorbed in a liquid frequently constitute a mixture of vapors and gases of difierent characteristics. It may be desired to absorb the constituents of the mixture equally, or it may be desired to absorb more of some constituents than of other constituents, andsometimes it is as accurately as possible. Some constituents of the mixture may be morereadily absorbed than other'constituents. Moreover, vapors or be disgases that have been absorbed may '1 placed by improper contactof the charged absorption liquid with unabsorbed vapors'and I gases, such displacement being brought about a by an action somewhat analogous to the action of inert gases ina distilling operation. The

5D effect of the use of gas in a distilling operation desirable to carry out a selective absorption Also, counter-current flow causes maximum.

maximum quantity of gas.

is well known and is believed to depend'on the relative vapor tensions of the difi'erent substances under the existing conditions and upon the velocity of gas employed. 7

Several of the conditions above described exist in connection with the absorption of desired hydrocarbons from natural gas. It is common practice to pass absorption oil in contact with and counter-current to a stream of natural gas. The natural gas is a mixture of Vapors and gases of hydrocarbons of difi'erent boiling points, the constituents of higher boiling points being more readily absorbed by the oil. But passage of absorption oil counter-current to'the as does not result in absorption ofall of t e desired heavier constit uents of the gas, as shown by the fact that the residual gas contains quantitiesof such constituents. However, agitation of natural gas with absorption oil in a bottle results in substantially complete absorption of heavier constituents of the gas and extensive absorption of the intermediate and lighter constit-' uents ofthe gas. Moreover actual test shows that with counter-current flow in abubble-cap absorber the oil containing-the maximum percentage of recoverable hydrocarbons is, contrary to expectation, not found at the outlet or bottom of the absorber but is found on an intermediate plate thereof. The point at which the oil has absorbed its maximum quantity of recoverable hydrocarbons being intermediate the point at which the gasand oil come together and the point at which they are separated in counte r-current absorption, 55 it appears that as the oil advances from that intermediate point toward its outlet while in contact with incoming gas it gives up some hydrocarbons which it had once absorbed.

relative velocity of oil and gases which promotes the redistillation of previously absorbed higher boiling constituents, and, .oil

leaving the absorber and which should be most highly charged is in contact with the In the absortption in liquid of gases and vapors in accordance with my invention these difliculties are avoided and intimate contacting of liquid with gases and vapors is ob- 1M 5 a vertical sectional View of apparatus emsorption liquid and the vapors and gases to be absorbed are immediately brought into inbodyingmy invention and whereby my process may be practised; and

Fig. 2 is a detail View in vertical section. In accordance with my invention the abtimate contact and then they are passed along concurrently and the unabsorbed gases are then separated from the absorption liquid. Also, the residual gases and vapors are separated from the charged oil while the oil and gases and vapors are moving at decreased velocity. Furthermore, while the gases and vapors and liquid are moving along concurrently they are intimately contacted and agitation of the liquid is automatically eflected. Inasmuch as the gases and vapors and liquids progress concurrently in the absorption operation the difficulty due to displacement of absorbed gases or vapors by contacting gases and vapors is avoided; and intimate contact is effected.

In the embodiment of my invention which is shown in the drawings for purposes of illustration and which is subject to modifications within the spirit of the invention, the main absorbing chamber 1 is provided with dispersing or spraying devices 2 and 3 which discharge in oposition to one another. Into one of the dispersing or spraying devices the absorption liquid is introduced and into the other such device is introduced the vapors or gases or mixture thereof that is to be absorbed. Inasmuch as the dispersing or spraying devices discharge in opposition to one another there is an intimate contact of liquid with vapors or gases and the mixing thereof may be facilitated by placing below the spray ing or dispersing devices one or more screen partitions 4 of any suitable construction. Below the screens there is a succession of partitions 5, each of which is provided with downwardly extending open tubes 6. Each tube is surrounded by a cap 7 that is preferably provided with relatively narrow slots 8 extending upwardly in the side walls of the cap 7 from a point above the lower end I of the tubes 6 in order that the tubes will normally be sealed. Obviously the liquids and vapors and gases may be passed through the absorption chamber 1 under any temperature and pressure conditions desired. The downward flow of liquids and gases and vapors causes the vapors and gases to bubble through the liquid in the lower part of each cap 7 and the liquid andvapors and gases pass together through the slots 8 and there is a dispersing or atomizing of the liquid as it passes through the slots 8 and falls to the next succeeding partition 5. In this manner agitation and intimate contact are automatically effected during the passage of the substances downwardly through the absorber.

together. The mixture of the liquid and unabsorbed vapors and gases is preferably passed as by pipe 9' to an elongated separator 10 from which the stripped gas is discharged through outlet 11 while the charged liquid passes out through pipe 12. The withdrawal of liquid through pipe 12 is so carried out, as by trapping pipe 12, that. gases do not pass out with the charged absorption liquid.

It will be apparent from the foregoin that my method for absorbing vapors and gases and liquids is of general application although it is particularly adapted to the absorption of mixtures of hydrocarbons from natural gas or mixtures of vapors and gases occurring in petroleum refining or destructive distillation of carbonaceous matter.

I claim:

1. In the absorption of gasoline hydrocarbons comprising a mixture of hydrocarbons of different boiling points from natural gas the process comprising bringing natural gas and an absorption liquid into contact and flowing the gas and liquid along concurrently in contact while collecting pools of the liquid and causing the gas to bubble through the liquid of said pools and dispersing the liquid in contact with the gas, and separating charged liquid from residual gas.

2. In the absorption of gases or vapors in points the process comprlsing bringing the vapors or gases into contact with an absorption liquid and flowing the vapors or gases and liquid concurrently in contact toward a point of separation while causing the gases or vapors to bubble upwardly through the liquid and the liquid to be dispersed within the gas by said concurrent flow, and then separating charged liquid from residual gas.

4. In the absorption in a liquid of vapors or gases of substances having different boiling points, the process comprising bringing the gas containing its most readily absorable constituents into contact with the liquid while it is substantially free of absorbed constituents of the gas, flowing the gas and liquid concurrently toward a point of separation, causing the gas to bubble through collected bodies of the liquid during-the flow thereof in contact, and separating residual gas from the charged liquid at said point of separation.

below the surface of the liquid of said body and releasing it to bubble therethrough, and

separating residual gas from charged liquid at said point of separation.

6. In the absorption in a liquid of vapors or gases of substances having'diflerent boiling points, bringing the gas into contact with the liquid, flowing the gas and liquid concurrently, during the concurrent flow of the gas and liquid maintaining a seal with the liquid to the flow of gas and thereby causing the gas to bubble through the liquid during the concurrent flow thereof.

7. In the absorption in a liquid of vapors or gases of substances having different boiling points, bringing the gas into contact with the liquid, flowing the gas and liquid concurrently, and during the concurrent flow of the gas and the liquid alternately dispersing the liquid in the gas and dispersing the gas in the liquid.

8. In the absorption of a liquid of vapors or gases of substances having d iflerent boiling points, bringing the gas into contact with the liquid, flowing the gas and liquid concurrently, during the concurrent flow of the gas and liquid alternately dispersing the liquid in contact with the gas and collecting the liquid, and bubbling the gas through the collected liquid.

9. In the absorption in a liquid of vapors or gases of substances having different boiling points, bringing the gas into contact with the liquid, flowing the gas and liquid concurrently, during the concurrent flow of the gas I and liquid alternately dispersing and collecting the liquid, and sealing the flow of gas with collected liquid and thereby causing the gas 'to bubble through the liquid.

10. In the absorptlon in a liquid of vapors or gases of substances having difl'erent boiling points, the steps comprising bringing the gas into contact with the liquid, flowing the gas and liquid concurrently downward, colecting a body of the downwardly flowing liquid and causing the downwardly flowing gas to bubble therethrough.

11. In the absorption in a liquid of vapors and gases, the steps comprising bringing the liquid and gas into contact, flowing the gas and liquid concurrently, dividing the flowing mixture into a plurality of streams, and collecting the liquid flowing in each stream and bubbling the gas in each stream through the collected liquid.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

ISAAC N. 'BEALL. 

